Prelude
by I'm known as Xana
Summary: Every action has an opposite and equal reaction. Possible Triggers (see A/N), and possible AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Yo, so this story is actually a complete rewrite of the original version that I had written in 2012 but never got around to publishing because it was crap basically . So like all the stories that I write I'll go ahead and post all the warning for this, disclaimer, yeah you guys get the idea.**

 ** _Warnings: Possible OOC, Suicide (well kinda-not really but still putting that here just in case_** ** _), possible violence (Minor), Language (minor), Character Death_**

 ** _Trigger Warnings: Well there's the (not really) suicide, and death. Seriously though if this triggers you, don't read._**

 ** _Disclaimer: I'm too lazy write a multi-chapter story (this one doesn't count), do you think I would put forth the effort to write 12 volumes?_**

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 _What does it feel like when someone's identity is stripped away from them against their will? When, even though they are alive and breathing, they are nothing more than an empty shell? A ghost of your former self as you slowly slip through the cracks._

 _What does it feel like to be thrust into the middle of a bloodied battlefield where the only goal is to become something you're not? What if, on the off chance, you wake up from the illusion to be surrounded by hell on earth? To see that everyone around you is nothing more than a mindless zombie, clawing each other's throats out in order to achieve the impossible. To see that everything you were led to believe was nothing more than a well placed lie, one stacked on top of the other. Some kind of twisted experiment conducted on you and your peers by the very people who were supposed to protect you._

 _Would anyone bat an eye and care if you attempted to escape from the hell that you were thrown head first into? Would it even make any kind of difference in the end? Would anyone lose any sleep at the sight of you slowly wasting away from the agony that's consuming you? Would it matter when all was said and done?_

 _I can't find a way out of the dark chasm that's steadily draining the life out of me. I can't breathe as I slowly choke on the various lies that I'm forced to swallow. I can't move as these chains bind me to the very place I once thought was a home._

 _As I write this, I can feel death circling me, like a bunch of hungry vultures, and I feel my restraint waning. No one hears my screams and pleas for help and respite from where I am held and I don't want to die in vain. I want someone to know the dark truth that surrounds this place, even if it's a futile attempt._

 _I am a nameless child that resides in Wammy's Orphanage, the safe haven for exceptionally bright orphans. At least that what the public thinks when they hear the name. Beneath the propaganda and lies, however, is a grotesque reality, one so horrific that it could shock the world. Wammy's House is from what the bright facade makes it out to be and is more akin to a war zone._

 _Here at Wammy's, there is but one goal for every child; to become and eventually surpass the Great Detective L. That is what we all live for, nothing more nothing less. That is our only purpose in this world._

 _However, unbeknownst to all, it was nothing more than an experiment in the long run. The children, myself included, were expendable for the 'greater good'. As the first generation of Wammy's kids, the scientists didn't have any data to work with so they used us as the guinea pigs. That way, even if we were a failure in the end, they would be able to use what they learned with us in order to not make the same mistakes next time. Our whole purpose was to answer one question: 'How far can you push a child to strive for perfection before they buckle under the pressure?' After all, what is science without some...collateral damage?_

 _Regardless of any of this, I have to hand it to them, they had it set up so...perfectly. The scientists in the experiments were posing as teachers and staff. That way they could closely monitor us all without raising some kind of suspicion from the children. They all worked under the orphanage owner, Quillish Wammy, who was actually a good actor. Pretending that he actually gave two damns about us that we weren't just mere prototypes. An experiment that was set up to fail from the beginning._

 _From the start, they had everything planned. They conditioned us to believe that we could actually obtain the honor of becoming the next L. To see every other child as an enemy that would stand in your way and double cross you the first chance they got. We learned to associate anything less than perfect as completely worthless. That we would only have a chance of happiness in this life if we were the best of the best, without error._

 _I followed their teaching so blindly, devoting everything I had to their ways. I was the best, the highest ranked child in the orphanage, with my closest friend, B, right behind me. B and I fought tooth and nail against each other to one up the other. He strove to finally beat me while I fought to stay on top, to show him that I was better then him. It was because of that title of the best that was what made me and B friends after all. If I wasn't on top, he would disregard me and it killed me to think about that. I would do anything to make him proud of me, even if it meant facing the catastrophic disaster that was to come head first._

 _It wasn't until B took the plunge into his own insanity that I finally I opened my eyes to the reality. It wasn't until my once dear friend gave into the demons that plagued his mind that I was forced to face the ones that resided in me. It was then that I learned the true price of freedom. In exchange for release from the delusion that clouded your mind, you in turned forfeited your sanity. The illusion protected you from the true toll of the stress that came with living in this forsaken place. Without it in place, when you finally woke up to the truth, your worldview is erased. Slowly you find yourself drowning the agony and pain that was reality._

 _It was a slow and agonizing process for me. At first it was something that I could easily ignore and write off as nothing, even if I knew better. It was something that was easily fixed with a nap or medicine when the pain got too much. However the aches and the pains began appearing more frequent and started lasting longer with each passing day._

 _Now a days I don't notice the burning in my body as I move, save for the dull roar in my head. I don't notice how my bones protrude from my skin, stretching it in unnatural ways. I've learned to ignore the ever persistent ringing in my ears and how my body seems to shake on its own, even when I fought to stop it._

 _I know that I am on borrowed time. I can hear the tolling of the nearby church bells signalling each hour as if reminding me of how long I have left. I can see the shadows dancing across the walls as I watch this, inching their way towards my desk with their claw-like limbs._

 _I've accepted my inevitable demise long ago when I escaped from the nightmare that entangled me. All I wish for now is that someone finds this, someone who can set things right, to stop them before they force anyone else into the corner like I am. I hope that B will not resent me for my selfish actions that are to come and that he will escape while he has a chance. That he can forgive me for taking the easy way out, that he can go on without me._

 _~ A_

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 **I'll post the final part to this later on today if I get the chance.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

 **Disclaimer: Do I really need to put this? Obviously I don't own Death Note.**

 **Anyways on with the story**

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Beyond sighed as he stood in front of the door. Deep down, past the denial and anger, he knew what was awaiting him on the other side. He knew that this day had been coming for a long time, not that it helped ease the pain that he felt. It didn't mean he was willing to accept the reality of the whole situation, it just meant it would take time. It meant that while he knew this would happen, the knowledge beforehand didn't soften the blow to his heart.

It all started out as any other evening. There was no raging storm outside, no foreshadowing to what the future held. To everyone else, this was just a regular night, with them mindlessly going about their routine without a care in the world. Everyone but Beyond that was.

The dark haired boy was hiding out in the safety of his room, in an attempt to escape what was going to happen. He knew that tonight was the night, and if he was completely honest with himself, he knew that he was terrified. All his life he was alone, a pariah due to his 'demon eyes'. No one would give him the time of day, always trying their hardest to ignore him in a vain attempt to make him disappear. Everyone chose to exile him from society in hopes that he would die in darkness. Everyone but _him_ that is. Aarron was the only one that showed him an inkling of kindness and the only one who didn't cast him aside. His only friend. The one who kept him sane after all this time and the one who chased the demons that haunted him at night away. The one who was now dying from those same demons.

A faint knock at the door interrupted Beyond's thoughts, causing crimson eyes to look up. The door opened to reveal the sickly, pale form of his friend. Beyond frowned at the sight of the once energetic blond that was now replaced with this... _impostor._ The dark haired boy studied the other with a frown plastered on his face. The boy was clearly skin and bones, having gone so long without any kind of nutrition for a while now. Beyond could hardly believe that this was the Aarron that he became friends with all that time ago.

"H-hey B, I fo-forgot to give you something after class earlier." The younger boy's voice was hoarse from dehydration or disuse, Beyond couldn't tell. What Beyond could tell though was that the dying boy was lying through his teeth.

Regardless of what A thought of his older friend, Beyond was not stupid. Even without his eyes, he could clearly see that the other was dying and that his time on earth was now limited. It was obvious from the frown that was on the blond's face that he knew as well. That made the other's intentions clear.

Beyond watched as his friend struggled to walk closer to him, cringing slightly at the sound of his cracking bones. He watched as he endeavoured to lift his bony arm that was grasping a few sheets of papers loosely.

The dark haired teenager took the offered papers from his younger companion without so much as a word. What was there to say anyways? They both knew what would happen tonight and how it would all end. Even by some miracle they both survived the night, the consequences of what was to come was nothing less of catastrophic. All Beyond could do was offer the boy a comforting smile, one that would reassure the latter that it would be okay soon.

Aarron gave him a tired smile in return as he turned around to go back to his room. Beyond's eyes flashed to the boy's lifespan as he did so and couldn't help but choke at what he saw. It was hardly visible this time, something signaled the death of an individual. Something that engraved the younger boy's fate, regardless of what was done at this point.

"A!" Beyond cried out, jumping to his feet, watching as the boy walked out of his room slowly. Said boy turned around and raised an eyebrow in confusion at the older teen's outburst.

"Y-yeah?" Beyond's heart felt like it was breaking at the thought of losing Aarron forever. The realization that he was powerless against the forces that were working against him. The thought that this could've been all avoided if things had gone a little differently.

"I-I'll see you tomorrow, right?" Beyond's voiced cracked as he remembered how happy Aarron was compared to how he was now.

"Yeah...tomorrow." No one believed him.

Beyond blinked his eyes to see the wooden door before him once more. He briefly wondered how long he had been lost in thought when he decided that it wasn't of importance. He needed to stop stalling, regardless of what he saw on the other side. Taking a deep breath and wiping a lone tear from his face, he steeled himself before turning the knob and opening the door that separated him from the truth.

Beyond turned the overhead light on and stared what laid before him. Sprawled out across the floor was the thin frame of his former friend. His eyes didn't leave the body as he slowly walked forward and collapsed before the emaciated corpse. Staring blankly up at the ceiling were glazed steel blue eyes that once held so much life in them. Eyes that once sparkled with determination and defiance. Beyond silently studied Aarron's face as he mindlessly combed through brittle and thin blond hair. A sick and twisted smile, one that hungered and pleaded for death, adorned his face.

Without thinking, Beyond ran his fingers down the younger boy's face, closing his eyes to the world for the final time. Glancing above the boy's head, he say the boy's real name floating there, taunting him, reminding him that his friend was gone from the world forever. Reminding him that he had allowed his only friend to die, that it was all his fault.

The guilt stirred in his mind and stomach as he sat there, staring at the lifeless body. He just sat there, not noticing the tears that started to cascade down his face. He didn't acknowledge it when his body started to shake from the silent sobs that escaped his lips. Nothing matter as far as Beyond was concerned. The only person who had gave him a reason to live was gone. The only person who was protecting him from the darkness inside was dead, consumed by those same demons that haunted him.

The passage of time didn't matter. He didn't know how long he sat there, clutching his dead friend in some vain attempt to find comfort. He didn't care about the guilt and anger that was slowly building in his heart. How each passing second caused the hate to slowly build up.

' _ **It's your fault.'**_

Beyond sniffed at the soft voice and raised his arm, ridding himself of the tears that had soaked his face.

' _ **They killed him and you let them.'**_

Scrunching his eyes closed, he took a deep and shaky breath as he attempted to calm himself down. Maybe if he ignored them, they would go away, leaving him alone to mourn the passing of his friend. Getting emotional would only fuel them and that's the last thing he wanted, to make them stronger would only cause problems. ' _Besides,'_ he thought, ' _Aarron would be disappointed if I just gave in like-'_

' _ **Look at him, he's dead because of them!'**_

Beyond opened his eyes, his crimson eyes being illuminated in the moonlight. They were right, he was dead, _they_ had caused his death. Memories, ones thought to be lost in the shadows of the past, surfaced in the dark haired teen's mind. Memories of a time when things were so much simplier. When it was just the two of them, before ever learning about Wammy's House. Before all of the pain, before coming across this hell.

' _ **Set things right!'**_

Beyond glared at the wooden door that separated him and the rest of that forsaken place. This place had destroyed both of them, stripped them of their freedom and their lives. This hell turned them into slaves, ones forced to run this endless race in some pathetic attempt to become L's successor. They were the ones that killed A, and if they got their way, would kill Beyond as well.

' _ **We can't allow this, they should pay for what they did to us.'**_

Setting Aarron's body down carefully, Beyond stood up and glanced at the corpse one last time. He silently made an oath to avenge his fallen friend. He promised that he would make them all pay for what they did to them, make them learn what true misery was. He would start with one who was in charge of this whole sick game, the Great Detective himself.

The next morning, staff would discover the corpse of the 13 year old Alternative, lying on the ground of his room. That very same day, 15 year old Back-Up would be reported missing from the orphanage. No one would notice the small pile of ashes that were hidden just beyond the gate to the orphanage.

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 **AN: This is the end of the story and thanks for reading! Like I said I'm really not one for multi-chapter stories and this was originally only an one-shot but at last we can all see how that turned out. Anyways, thanks again for reading, review if you wish and have a nice day.**

 **~Xana**


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